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Dermatologic nomenclature
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Contents
Primary lesions
Dermatology Nomenclature
Small lesions (<0.5cm)
- Macule – flat, cirumscribed, colored, non palpable
- Papule – raised, solid and palpable
- Vesicle – raised, palpable, clear fluid-filled
- Pustule – raised, palpable, pus filled (leukocytes or keratin)
Large lesions (>0.5cm)
- Patch – large macule (flat non-palpable colored area)
- Plaque – superficially raised, circumscribed solid area
- Nodule – distinct large papule
- Bulla - large vesicle (blisters if epidermal layer completely sloughed off)
- Wheal – firm and edematous plaque (edema of the dermis)
Other
- Plaque/scaley papule
- Eschar
- Erosion/ulcer
- Purpura/petechia
- Plaque/smooth papule
Secondary lesions
Section One
- Scales – dead epidermal cells (dry white dandruff)
- Cursts – dead epidermal cells + serum (oily secretions)/pus
- Erosion –focal effacement of epidermis
- Ulcer – focal effacement of epidermis +dermis
- Fissure – linear crack into epidermis +dermis
- Atrophy – thinning of epidermis +dermis
- Scar – healed skin with connective and epithelialized granulation tissue
- Lichenification – thickened epidermis
- Petechia – non-blanching, micro- hemorrhages (3mm) into the dermis
- Purpura - non-blanching, small hemorrhage (0.5-1cm) into dermis
- Ecchymoses – large area of hemorrhage into dermis (a.k.a bruising)
See Also
Authors
Maxim Ben-Yakov, Ross Donaldson, Daniel Ostermayer, Neil Young
